Transcript
Global Sports Podcast Network: Hello everyone, welcome to the Daily Chelsea podcast as we preview the 25-26 season. Fresh from our Club World Cup win, the season's already got underway with two pre-season wins against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.
Global Sports Podcast Network: You're listening to Martin and Yashar. Over last couple of episodes, we've... dived deeper into the Club World Cup win. We've spoken about the transfer window, incomings and outgoings.
Global Sports Podcast Network: In this podcast, we're going to give our predictions for the upcoming season, look ahead a little bit more. Are we ready? What are we most excited about? And what are we still concerned about?
Global Sports Podcast Network: um Yes, sir very open question then. Are we ready? We've got a week to go until our first game um as we record this on on on a Sunday um against Crystal Palace.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Are we ready?
yashar: We are. ah really feel that. I think this is the first time that I felt in a while that we are ready. I think we're ready for the season. I really feel we're title contenders this season. I know it's it's people probably thinking typical Chelsea fan, but I really feel that that Club World Cup is a turn of a page to a new chapter. i really feel this is it. We can really kick on.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: The players know Maresca's ideas and the only question mark... for me was going into the PSG game was, are our tactics predictable?
yashar: And, you know, throughout the season they were, obviously big teams were but picking us apart, like, again, like the arsenals and the cities.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: And however you look back on it and you look back and you think, you know what, that PSG game was something different. You know, we really adapted to their weaknesses rather than playing our way.
yashar: And that's what we did. And that's given me more confidence because now we know how to play multiple ways. Fluidity. And that was, you know, one of the biggest things on the Conte's teams as well.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: fluter Fluidity. Back four, three, back five, you know, and that's something that we were doing, which I'm very confident in.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: So yes, to answer your question, yes, we do. I do feel we're ready. Maybe there's a few spots that we can cover, but yeah, every team.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah And, you know, and you make a good point, actually. um Let's be honest, we were cold Palmer FC for huge parts of last year and and the year before, frankly, as well.
yashar: Yep. yeahp
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And that's not to say he still obviously has a huge importance, but at least if we go off the two preseason matches we've just watched, 2-0 win against Baylor Leverkusen and the 4-1 win against Milan,
Global Sports Podcast Network: um the goals were well spread out. You know, Esteval, Joao Pedro, De Lapp scored two. um So that's not to say Colpama has diminished in importance, but your point about plan B and a plan if needs be, is a fair one because it looks like Esteval can create some magic if he needs to. Joao Pedro himself as well. So yeah, no, I agree with you. I am as excited.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um What are we still concerned about, if anything? Now, you know we have the plan A, plan B, Is there anything that you're, you know, I'm always, ah and you know it as well, I'm always concerned that we start well and then we have sort of ah an October, November, December dip.
yashar: Hmm.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And I'm sure that's happened over the last couple couple of seasons. So, so and I, you know, that's, that could be always, always due to a multitude of factors, but is there anything you're still concerned about at the minute?
Global Sports Podcast Network: Sounds like you're not concerned about us being sort of red in terms of tactics, but anything else?
yashar: Tactically, no. Technically, no. I'm not concerned. The only thing with me is our defence quality. um Our defence, I think obviously losing Levi is one ah huge dent.
yashar: But not only that, I think watching the Leverkusen game, watching the Milan game, you know we were dominant, but we got caught on the counter a bit few bit too much.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. Yeah.
yashar: And that is and a lot of Premier League teams, especially the ones that came up.
Global Sports Podcast Network: you know
yashar: And we saw that against Ipswich last season. We struggled. We didn't and beat them once.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
yashar: Yeah, we took, we again, we took one point off them ah of so out of six.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
yashar: So those are the matches that you look back on and you think, you know what I mean? You look back and you're thinking, what if something were different? So we get caught too easily.
yashar: um And one other big thing is is relying on Kukurela too much because, you know, I think we've we've shifted from relying on Cole Palmer, which, um again, you raise a good point, which I'm glad because now he has less pressure on him, I feel.
Global Sports Podcast Network: know Yeah.
yashar: And especially last season, he didn't, you know, he was still amazing, but he didn't pull up to his numbers he did the season before. So I think that's because of pressure. You know, it's, you know, he he had so much pressure. He needed to deliver. He needed to do this. He needed to do that.
yashar: But now, obviously, coming into, got players around him. But now we've shifted our reliance on Cucurella now. um We have no cover for left back. Obviously, Renato Vega's not, of vague as not um he wants a new chapter.
yashar: Hato is going to play centre-back more often.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
yashar: And, you know, obviously Chilwell's not part of the fray, but my biggest worry, I think most Premier League clubs as well, I know Liverpool have the same issue and Arsenal have the same issue, their back line. And that's something that we really need to shore up a little bit more.
yashar: We need like a leader in there, I feel.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
yashar: Experienced head who can maybe one or two years, remind me like a Koulibaly signing who come in for a couple of years maybe and ah I had a few i a few things in my head who can sign, but again, it's it's something that we need to look at really deeply,
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. Yeah. And Kukurea is a fascinating guy. As you say, he's left back um you know on paper, but he's basically deputy attacking midfielder when we have the ball as well. He is so advanced.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And yeah, we he's almost one of the first names on the team sheet now, just because he he really does bond forward. He'll get fair few assists this season. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Before we talk about our opponents, Crystal Palace, um for our first game of the season, a quick word from one of our sponsors.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Welcome back to the Daily Chelsea podcast. You're with Yashar and Martin um as we preview the 25-26 season. We've just spoken about Chelsea. We're both, think Yashar, you're in agreement. We're both excited that we're ready.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Of course, that's only one half of the debate. The other debate is who we will face on that first game of the season, and that is Crystal Palace. um Now, I won't claim to have watched all of their pre-season matches, but obviously their most important pre-season match is their community shield win against Liverpool on penalties. And if I look back at some of their other sort of July, early August fixtures, a mixed bag of um a couple of wins, a couple of losses.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And also, of course, they have continual um ah Conference League, Europa League discussions at the minute.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um so we're ready we're playing crystal palace now last year both of the matches were draws so the home one was a one-one and the away one was a one-one so what is in the context of playing crystal palace what are your thoughts for for the the weekend's game
yashar: Yeah, I think obviously Palace coming from a community shield win. know it's obviously people don't count as a trophy. That's i'm not saying trophy, community shield win. But I think that, you know, the thing that scares me the most is they really you know, they played better than Liverpool at times.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: And Liverpool's the team that everyone's talking about winning the league.
Global Sports Podcast Network: huh
yashar: So it'll be a tough first game. However, we're at home. ah ah You know, we I feel we've had one of the best preseasons, well, in the league, you know.
yashar: but if you're counting the club World Cup, if you're counting the two games, conceded one, i think we're ready. ah I'm confident, very confident. I think we'll win. ah Will we concede?
yashar: Most probably. That's something, again, I ah mentioned earlier in the podcast that I really feel that we will, our defence is one thing that ah that is going to let us down.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, it's going to be many more or four threes than one nils this season.
yashar: However, it will be a lot it'll be lot of two three twos, two ones, maybe a one ones, two twos, it'll be that.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: but However, the main thing is we can't, we can't be complacent and that's the thing, and that's one thing we need to do. But, The confidence I think we have in attack, I'm very comfortable with. However, coming back, especially with the way that Palace attack, it's it's something that we have to be wary of. And I'm sure Moresca's more advanced how thinking like me. so But again, we we have to think, you know, we again, we're at home.
yashar: First game at home. We can't beat it. You can't beat the first game at home. And that's something that we need to really push on.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, let's see how it pans out as well. Both of the games last year, Chelsea went ahead and then Crystal Palace pulled the goal back. um The game at Stamford Bridge, Nicholas Jackson put us ahead.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Eze then equalised in the second half. And exactly the same story for the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park. Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead in the first half and then Mateta equalised in the second half. So even if we go ahead at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, let's see, as you say, where the weekend whether we can hold on to it.
yashar: Mm-hmm.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um Yashar, thank you very much. Thank you, everyone, for listening. You've been listening to the Daily Chelsea podcast on the on the Global Sports Podcast Network. Thanks for being with us and goodbye.
